The Emotions

The Emotions are an American female vocal group from Chicago, Illinois, who achieved mainstream success during the 1970s. The original lineup comprised sisters Wanda Hutchinson, Sheila Hutchinson, and Jeanette Hutchinson. The group debuted on Volt Records with the release of their top-ten R&B single "So I Can Love You" in 1968. Following the decline of Volt Records and its parent company, Stax Records, the group transitioned to Columbia Records in 1975.During the mid-1970s, the Emotions achieved mainstream success with Wanda and Sheila as lead singers and Maurice White as their production team. The group achieved their first gold-selling album with Flowers in 1976. The following year, they released their album Rejoice to platinum-selling success. The album's single, "Best of My Love", peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100 and earned them a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group, or Chorus.Throughout the group's history, the lineup continued to change with later members Theresa Davis, Pamela Hutchinson, and Adrianne Harris. VH1 listed the group as one of the 18 Most Influential Girl Groups of All Time. Their single "Best of My Love" was listed atop Billboard's Most Successful Girl Group Songs of All-Time list.The group originally formed as the Hutchinson Sunbeams in 1957, comprising Joe Hutchinson and his daughters Sheila Hutchinson, Wanda Hutchinson, and Jeanette Hutchinson. Based in Chicago, Illinois, they performed gospel songs at local churches and eventually became the opening act for American singer Mahalia Jackson. In 1958, they made their first televised appearance, on The Jerry Van Dyke Show. Over the early years of their career, The Hutchinson Sunbeams went through several name changes, becoming The Sunbeams, The Heavenly Sunbeams, Hutch Stereo's, and Three Ribbons and a Beau.After graduating from Parker High School, the group moved forward as a trio with their father instead managing the group. While performing in a talent contest at the Regal Theatre in Chicago in 1968, the group secured a recording deal with Stax Records, although some reports state that Pervis Staples brought the group to Stax Records. Upon signing with Stax's subsidiary label Volt Records, the group adopted the name The Emotions.

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.